The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-12-16
SCRIPS AND SCRAPS.

LAST years gross receipts OF the mail
Icrvicn are placed at forty-eigbt million
iollars.
An Eastern steel company has con-
.racted TO supply the navy with siNty-iiye
tons OF steel gun iorgings, 10 cost nearly
itty-four thousand dollars.
IT has been estimated that the power
excrtcd by the tail Of a whale eighty feet
long snd twenty feet across the hukes of
the tail, in propclling 1t at the rate Of
twelve miies an hour, is equal 20 the
power OF lI5 horses.
\ PARROT belonging to a gentleman Of
Chicago IS said by him TO be one hundred
years old. The owner has letters dated
IN 1870, referring to odd Putnam tho
bird, and commenting on his many ac-
complishmcnts. The bird is an agile and
talkatlve IL Il young one.
The cent which, until recently, was
unknown in the South, is gradually find
ing favor. \ scheme was put into prac-
tee At one time for the flooding Of the
country with the copper currency, but it
was in vain. Later, however the de-
sired object is steadily being accomP-
hshed.
TuR largest freight bill ever paid bv
one shipper is said to have been that on
Nllll -OAlE fsAl lp.t'lS 'A EtdlllAt 0lAl iiNAA
from New England 10 the Pacific Coast,
the cost "i which was ten thousand dol
lars. II WAS 10 bc used in the construct
ion Of mechanical school in san Fran
cisco, an endowment by the public benc-
factor. Or. ii. y. Co-swell, OF drinking
fountain lame III the West.
THE want Of accuracy in shooting ow-
ing to the imperfect construction Of the
cannon in early times is well illustrated
by the fact that in 1912 NJ the battle OF
Salamanca :i.5no,ODO cartridges aui 5000
cannon balls were fired, with the result
OF only 5000 men being put hor3 dc
combat. And as late rs 1887. during the
kai!ir war, $1,000 cartridges Were fired IN
= single engagement in which only tTen-
ty-tivc Of the enemy were killed.
\ New YoRK firm OF wine merchants
have in their possession two casks made
Of what Is thought 10 be the oldes. and
best preserved WOO / IN existence. This
WOO was, formerly part ot the fOunda-
tiOn Of bridg., over the Rhine NJ AIainz.
in the time Of Troianus, ninety-nine
years alter Christ. In later years fire
destroyed the bridge and ii was not until
lSSl, while excavations FOR stone bridge
wcra being made, that portions Of the
ancient timbcrs were brought to light
The rlsks in question are artlstically
carved and ornamCutcd.
~ the manufacture OF swords and bay
oncts FOR Use in the German army, severe
tests are employed 10 insure reliable
weapons. With respect to swords and
sahrcs tho testing process is the follow
ing: The blades are brought in un-
mounted examined for length and thick
ness, then bent according TO certain fixed
rules: two heavy right and left cuts are
then struck at a wooden block with the
edge and two blows with the flat OF each
blade. Having passed these tests. the
blades are stamped and laii asii. to be
mounted and finished. When mounted
they are again tested for soliditv OF con-
nection between blade and hilt The
testing OF bayopets IS equally severe and
cNh%ustivc. No inferior material or de-
fcrtivc workmanship escapes the cogniz-
anc" of tn" INSPECTING officers, who are
specially chosen by the ministry Of war
Tor their knowledge OF all the physical
and technical details connected with tho
maj; crial and fabrication Of steel weap-
Ons.